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North Korea is looking to attract British English teachers by enticing them to the dictatorial state with the promise of elite rugby contracts.
A social media account that features a similar recruitment drive for Chinese rugby has posted an advert, seeking rugby players for the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea (North Korea)’s Pyongyang Reds team.
“Pyongyang Reds RFC is recruiting players for the 2026 autumn season,” the China_Rugby_Recruitment Instagram account said, stating that “all positions, social and elite” were available.
“[The] package includes: A full-time job teaching English at a local school (no teaching qualifications or experience needed); competitive monthly salary and food ration package; flight allowance provided by employer; and playing competitive rugby in [the] Pyongyang Cup and DPRK Cup competitions.”
Rugby in North Korea?
The account, which appears to feature videos relating to China featuring South Africa’s Rugby World Cup-winning Springbok Faf de Klerk and promotes Chinese teams Beijing Ducks and Shenzhen Pirates, said potential players should hold passports from one of: South Africa, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, USA or Canada.
Former England winger Jonny May was offered an invitation to visit the country in 2017 after showing an interest in Kim Jong Un’s state.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, which sets travel risk statuses, “advises against all but essential travel to North Korea The level of tension on the Korean Peninsula remains high”.
The government organisation adds: “While daily life in the capital city, Pyongyang, may appear calm, the security situation in North Korea can change quickly with no advance warning about possible actions by the authorities. This poses significant risks to British visitors and residents.
“The North Korean authorities have previously detained foreign nationals for allegedly violating local laws and have denied them access to support from their governments.”
North Korea competes at the Asian Games and won 39 medals at the 2022 Hangzhou games in China. And while rugby sevens is part of the Asian Games programme, North Korea is yet to compete in the discipline.
Japan have won three of the last five tournaments but Hong Kong – set to feature at their first rugby union 15s World Cup next year – have won the last two.
The winner of the first two sevens tournaments, in 1998 and 2022, was South Korea while Kim’s arch enemies won the two Asian Games that featured 15s.
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